Best combination with chocolate? more chocolate! Those terrific cookies are made of mainly chocolate and will fulfill the cravings of any chocolate junkie out there. The recipe is based on the recipe of “The Cookie Fairy“, which is based on a recipe created by Roni Venezia. The following recipe include some alterations and adjustments I made for my family’s taste. The end result is very chocolaty, sweet and addicting.
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I really like beans in general and especially red kidney bean, which has a deep and rich flavor that improves with longer cooking time. Red kidney beans pair really well with meat but can also be served as the focus of the main course. The following dish is called “Rajma Masala” or simply “Red Kidney Bean Curry”. “Rajma” means red kidney bean in Hindi and “Masala” is the general name for a spice mixture which is either dry or wet. In this case the Masala is wet and based on onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes and lots of spices. Once the Masala is ready the cooked red kidney bean is added and they are cooked together.
This curry can be served simply with white rice or as an exotic side dish. There are lots of versions for Rajma Masala out there, this version celebrates ginger, cinnamon and the hotness of red chili.
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Who doesn’t like beer? Dark and cold beer is definitely one of my favorites, especially when served with some crunchy and spicy snack. Baked chickpeas are the ultimate party snack, they require minimal prep time using simple ingredients you always have in your pantry and they tend to get lots of praise from surprise guests.
I make those chickpeas in two different versions, both based on cooked chickpeas mixed with olive oil and spices. The first version is pretty simple and consist of everyday spices that you can find in almost every kitchen. The second versions is the Indian version which is a bit more sophisticated. They are both great and pretty similar to one another, the Indian version is hotter and has a hint of Garam Masala.
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The lovely smell of cardamon immediately reminds me of Indian food. Cardamon is one of my favorite spices, it has strong smell and flavor while somehow it is also delicate and a little sweet.
Paalaada is a thin and soft pancake that is usually served unsweetened accompanying curry dishes. It originates in the Islamic community of Tamil Nadu (country in south India) and is based on white rice, coconut and egg. Traditionally the rice is being soaked and grinded with fresh coconut and then mixed with the other ingredients. However there is a lazier option in which you use rice flour and store bought coconut milk. This option is just as good so no need to trouble yourselves with soaking rice. In this post I present the sweet version for this pancake (Mutta Paalaada) with sugar and cardamon. In the unsweetened and more common version the sugar and cardamon are removed and replaced with a pinch of salt.
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The first curry I ever made is still the one I make the most, mainly because its super delicious and easy to prepare, no fancy ingredients involved. The curry isn’t really photogenic, but what it lacks in looks it makes up for in taste. I call it “Spices Curry” since it is based only on ground spices. I’m not sure it can be considered as a traditional Indian curry but it is definitely in the right direction.
We love this curry in its non-kosher non-vegetarian version but there are vegan/kosher options here, see details below.
Inevitably, the flu season finally reached us. I always find it amazing that when you have no appetite whatsoever and all you do is lay dead on the couch nurturing a huge pile of used tissues, the only food you can actually eat is the Jewish grandma secret medicine – a.k.a chicken soup. I got this recipe from my partner’s mother, after he once got sick and miserable and asked for a chicken soup “just like his mother’s”.
This is a very basic recipe without any special additions. Handling a whole chicken might be a challenging experience to some (even if you’re not a vegetarian/vegan) but once you pass this obstacle there is hardly any work left.
You’ll always find cookies in Grandma Bella’s kitchen. Three large and decorated glass jars are proudly placed at the kitchen entrance filled with fresh home made cookies. This recipe is for one of my favorite cookies which always bring me back to my childhood. My grandma got the recipe from Mella, the eldest sister of my grandpa (8th out of 9 children)/ Those cookies were probably invented back in the beginning of the 20th century somewhere in South Africa.
Continue reading Bella’s Cornflakes Cookies
As a peanut butter addict I just can’t stop myself from trying a recipe that has “peanuts” in its title. “Peanuts chutney” might sound complicated but in 15 minutes of work max you’ll get one of the most addicting, tasty and bizarre things you’ll ever make.
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This post is more of a recommendation than a recipe. Japanese Curry (karē raisu) is one of the most loved and common dishes in Japan. For some reason this dish didn’t become as famous as Sushi in the west but in Japan it is just as common. Surprisingly, Karē raisu is a new dish in the Japanese cuisine as it has arrived to Japan with the British at the end of the 19th century. The Japanese really liked the idea of a curry, changed the spices and adjusted it to their taste and packed everything in neat little cubes that can be kept forever in the pantry. With those brownish cubes you can easily make THE signature dish of tasty, fast and comforting home cooking.
There are lots of brands for Japanese Curry, I like S&B Golden Curry the best. You can find it in any Asian supermarket in the US or in Europe as well as in various eastern countries such as Thailand, Taiwan, Korea and obviously Japan. You can also buy this online.
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Waking up craving hot and spicy food? Don’t worry! You are in good company together with 1 billion Indians 😉 Masala Dosa is one of the most common dishes in south India and in India in general and people like to eat it for breakfast or as a street food. Masala Dosa is practically a Dosa (thin and crispy crepe made of rice and lentiles – recipe here) filled with Aloo Masala, which is spicy and hot mashed potatoes.
As expected of such a famous and tasty dish it has lots of versions for the Masala itself, but also for the various serving options and side dishes. One of the more famous variations is called Mysore Masala Dosa in which you spread hot red chilli chutney on the dosa prior to filling it with Aloo Masala.
Continue reading Aloo Masala for Masala Dosa
